82 The Wind Hails, a Flame Rises (1/2)
A ferocious wind hailed from the opposite direction. With a wail, the wind suddenly grew to its strongest, uprooting the weeds on the ground and breaking the branches on the trees.
It swirled, bellowing against the Shadow Cavalry that was hot in pursuit.
Oddly enough, Yutang’s army was not affected at all.
Tears and blood decorated Tie Zheng’s face. He stood still as a statue as his eyes stared wide in the direction of Tianxuan Cliff.
“The Nine Supremes!”
“Has Supreme Wind come at last?”
Following the wind that had reached its peak, a rising flame suddenly soared from behind Tie Zheng. The spark of the rising flame was spreading at an incredible speed towards Dongxuan’s army!
The spark had just glinted but it was already burning several hundred feet high in the air. Dongxuan’s Shadow Cavalry that had just charged through, over a thousand of them and their steeds, were engulfed in the sea of flame!
The rest of the cavalrymen who were in hot pursuit could not rein in their horses in time as they tumbled into the fire one after another with anguished cries and moans.
The flame crackled like the devil. With a sudden crash, it soared and catapulted to the prairie. Immediately, the Dongxuan army that was within a three-hundred-mile radius were all plunged into a burning sea of fire.
Amidst the spark of flame, there seemed to be a demon cackling.
“How dare little Dongxuan be unbridled before Tianxuan Cliff!”
The wind bellowed!
Flames rose to the clouds!
Supreme Wind and Flame!
Hot tears brimmed in the hundred of thousands of Yutang army’s eyes as they watched the quiet Tianxuan Cliff. All of them kneeled in unison.
“The Nine Supremes sirs!” They roared.
The voices of these patriotic men who had flirted with death were choked, hot tears rolling down their faces.
…
Han Sanhe looked towards the southwest where Tie Zheng had broken through and the Shadow Cavalry was hot in pursuit!
Thirty thousand Shadow Cavalry men were outflanked while another fifty thousand Shadow Cavalry tailed behind; Han Sanhe dared guarantee that Tie Zheng would not have half a chance to escape with such an overwhelming force in pursuit.
Even if it were to be him, he would never have reorganized his troops and turn the game around under such circumstances. The victory and defeat of this war had been decided!
It was finally time to reap what he had arduously sown for so long. Luckily, the Nine Supremes were no longer here. Otherwise, coupled with the Empire of Yutang’s complex topography, he did not dare make careless advances with the Nine Supremes’ existence. They would have been victims of a sneak attack at any given moment.
What was more, they would also be defeated unexpectedly.
“Marshal, Yutang has almost entirely fallen into your hands this time.” The general beside him was excited. “Only the marshal could easily attain the merit of expanding our empire land.”
Han Sanhe smiled calmly. “I’ve forcefully decimated Tie Zheng’s hundred thousand army and two hundred thousand reserve troops without a care for what it would cost our military resources. It’s still too early to talk about empire expansion. At least, the Empire of Yutang’s dominance could no longer be recovered within ten years’ time after this war.”
“The biggest return for our side should be extending our territory for another two thousand miles encroaching Yutang’s capital.”
“But it’s hard to say that all these are within our grasp.” An earnest want was deep in Han Sanhe’s eyes. “Because the two old folks in Yutang have yet to make their moves.”
“Although that Qiu Jianhan and Leng Daoyin are called the heroic duo of saber and sword, they have not been leading troops for so many years. Besides, they have aged. They are no longer how they were in those years. The marshal will definitely achieve what you want once you strike.” The general beside him was a born bootlicker.
“A big portion of Yutang’s elites have already been wiped out by the marshal in this battle. Even if Qiu Jianhan and Leng Daoyin unite as the saber and sword duo, they still can’t do anything without having any troops to be deployed!”
Han Sanhe said lightly, “Perhaps Mu Wuyun’s lack of deployable troops still makes sense but Gao Han, you have to take note of what you said about them no longer being how they were in those years… You must never look down on your enemy at any given time!”
“It is a lethal mistake, the reason behind a downfall!”
Both generals beside him bowed at once. “This lowly general remembers.”
“Even if they have no deployable army, these two old folks can still definitely guard Yutang and expend three to five years against me.” Han Sanhe’s expression was solemn. “Because the emperor of Yutang grants unreserved trust on both these men!”
Behind him, Mu Wuyun, Gao Han, and Zhan Ge were silenced in fear. All three generals dared not speak a word.
The old marshal was incredibly meritorious that the emperor got suspicious. It was no longer a secret in the military that Dongxuan’s emperor was extremely scrupulous to the old marshal. Han Sanhe, commenting on this now, was naturally exclaiming from his thoughts.
“After this war, Dongxuan’s invincibility shall be fortified!” Han Sanhe said in solitary, “However, Yutang can be reduced, can be weakened, but it can never be conquered.”
“It is like a ferocious tiger. It is enough to break only its claws and fangs!”
“If the empire were to be annihilated, we might not be able to stand as long as Yutang.” Han Sanhe sighed. “Yutang has three renowned marshals after all, that’s why they could hold out for so long. In the top ten ranking of the continent’s most notable generals, Yutang alone has taken three spots!”
“But Tie Zheng and his trusted aides must die!” There was respect in Han Sanhe’s eyes as he said slowly, “Tie Zheng covered for his troop in the last battle.s All his generals automatically stayed back to cover for their army. They’ve already won the hearts of Yutang’s army. With time, they would definitely form the real blood of steel and soul of militant!”
“After this fight, Tie Zheng would rise to the same level as Qiu Jianhan and Leng Daoyin in Yutang’s army, if not even higher. Moreover, Tie Zheng is at his prime right now… That is the most terrifying! Therefore, anyone else can be saved from death in this battle but Tie Zheng, must die! Otherwise, he shall become our greatest downfall!”
Han Sanhe’s appraisal of Tie Zheng had increased by three whole levels after this battle!
As the southwest wind blew, the three generals felt that Han Sanhe’s thin silhouette was akin to a god at this moment.
A turn of his hand could conjure clouds; the other way, rain.
Right at this moment though, the wind seemed to have stopped suddenly.
Han Sanhe frowned and said faintly, “Why does the wind stop?”
The three generals shared a look, unable to fathom the meaning within.
“I’ve observed the night astrology. The southwest wind bellows these days as it is the time to pursue following our dominance. Our troops attack following the wind, it is the best time… why does the wind stop now?”
Just as he was speaking, the wind came again abruptly, blowing against their face strongly enough to prick.
The direction of the wind had changed.
Han Sanhe was startled.
“The world shares the knowledge of the Nine Supremes’ death… Supreme Wind is not here but why did the wind suddenly take an opposite direction?” A look of uncertainty surfaced in Han Sanhe’s eyes.
It only took two spoken sentences for the wind to grow stronger and bellow right against them.
The force was so strong that the handful of people standing almost lost their footing.
“There must be something strange!” Han Sanhe’s frown was deep. “Send orders, ask the pursuing troop to… slow down!”
It was a difficult decision.
They could totally destroy Tie Zheng while pursuing his troops with their current dominance.
Once they gave this up while holding back, they would be giving Tie Zheng a breather.
It would allow a variable in this battle.
“Marshal, please think twice.” Zhan Ge said, “The death of the Nine Supremes is certain! The change in wind’s direction now is only a display of nature’s might… The enemy is near defeat, it’s impossible…”
Han Sanhe could only feel the dread in his heart growing more distinct. He was curt in his decision. “There must be a reason for this peculiarity in the battlefield! Send the order right away!”
The horn was blown. However, just as the horn blared, Han Sanhe’s expression took a turn for the worse!
Thick smoke had suddenly risen up front while fiery flames licked about!
The flame seemed to have engulfed the entire forest within the blink of an eye! Another blink seemed to witness the fire doubling in size!
The next moment saw the fire consuming everything within its reach, the flicker of flame encompassed thousands of miles as it soared into the sky!
“Supreme Wind and Flame!”
Han Sanhe was alarmed. “Retreat immediately!”
It was too late.
All his warriors who had been pursuing the enemy into the valley were swallowed up in the flaming blaze!
The blazing trail seemed like a flaming dragon that had a life of its own as it charged out of the valley and deluged the thousands of cavalrymen nearby! The fire was overwhelming, spreading in its wake, its speed incredibly fast!
The blessed topography of Tianxuan Cliff, the lush trees in the dense forest – all of them turned into a consuming sea of fire, at this end of summer and at this beginning of autumn.
“How could this be?” Disbelief smeared Han Sanhe’s eyes.
The Nine Supremes were dead!
This news was bona fide. Some people from his side had even witnessed the Nine Supremes’ death with their own eyes! They were involved in Nine Supremes’ death personally!
How could they still make an appearance?
Even though it was hundreds of miles away, the heatwave from the blaze still stung their faces.
All this seemed like a dream, an illusion. Yet it was happening right in front of their eyes!
A bellowing wind and a rising flame had turned approximately two hundred thousand men into naught!